Building Your First Chopper? Follow These Steps
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- In this video I'll take you through the 4 steps to building your first chopper, also known (by me) as the "4 F's of Chopper Building. These steps are...
1. The Frame
2. The Fab
3. The First Assembly
4. The Finish
I'll take you through each step, everything that's involved, and some tips on how to protect the most valuable asset you have...your time! This video is all about helping you #skipthestruggle. Learn from my mistakes and listen for several key tips to save time on your build.
FULL PDF GUIDE OF TODAY'S VIDEO!
greasesgarage.wixsite.com/gre...
(Please allow some time to receive it as I'll be sending it to you manually, I will work on automating this in the future)
This is the ULTIMATE checklist for keeping your chopper build in check. Never get lost again.
By the end of the video you'll know exactly WHERE TO BEGIN and every step you need to take along the way.
Chapters:
0:00-0:53 Intro
0:54-2:13 Baseline Tests
2:14-2:30 The 4 F's of Chopper Building
2:31-5:52 The Frame
5:53-10:12 The Fab
10:13-12:49 The First Assembly
12:50-16:49 The Finish
16:50-17:30 My Gift To You
GREASES GARAGE MERCH: greasesgarage.bigcartel.com/
HOW I FILM THESE VIDEOS (affiliate links)
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#howtobuildachopper #greasesgarage #chopper #chopperbuild - Auta a dopravní prostředky
You've offered up some of the best wisdom when it comes to creating a chop. I've been at the game since the 1960s -- even before Hopper and Fonda's little motorcycle movie. It's great to know that guys like you offer up some no-nonsense advice. Thanks, Grease. Ride safe.
I appreciate the kind words! 🙏🏼 it must be wild to have been at it that long and see all the phases it’s gone through over that time. Especially that strange period of the early 2000’s haha.
Really happy you found the channel and that someone who’s been around it for the long haul finds these videos helpful.
@@greasesgarage - Yeah, in the primordial days of chopperdom, we didn't have "reality" TV shows with guys building bikes and arguing with one another. There wasn't such a thing as the internet, either. Very few chopper shops existed back then. Buchannon's Frame Shop stretched H-D springers and raked frames. I remember chopper shops in CA such as The Motor Shop and Custom Cycle Delicatessen. Paughco came along in 1970 or 1971. That was a game changer. Roth put out his "California Choppers," "How to Make a Sissy Bar," and "How to Extend a Harley Springer" mini manuals and, a few years later, Choppers magazine came into existence. Roth wrote a few editorials for that magazine. Big Bike was another great old chopper mag. I'm currently putting together some chapters in my memoirs about a few guys I knew who went from hot rods to choppers back in the early to mid 1960s. Build right. Stay safe. Ride safe. -- W
I build Metric Bobbers and the odd Chopper.
You need to start with the basics.
1) What is your budget
2) What type of bike are you building.
3) What are the best bikes for the style of bike you want to build.
4) Finding the right bike.
Let's say you found a great bike that suits your plan but you haven't bought it yet.
Things to find out from the owner before purchasing any bike.
When was it last ridden and licenced for the street?
Why are you selling it?
What is the list of things you're aware of it's going to need to make it road-worthy?
What's the mileage?
If it's sat idle find out how long it has been since it was last running.
Based on deduction given your questions were answered honestly and you are going ahead with the purchase. Before you go one step further tell the owner it needs to be started.
You might have to come back another day equipped with a battery if the one in it won't take a charge.
Smell the gas in the tank. If it's not stale then it should run on it.
If the gas stinks do not allow any of it to get to the carbs.
You have to flush the tank. Siphon out as much as you can.
There's a trick to empty the tank it if has a vacuum-controlled petcock. Please read up on that. It can be emptied without taking the tank off the bike.
You want to check for ignition/spark at some point.
These are little things you may encounter when finding the ULTIMATE bike you REALLY want but you want to make sure you are not buying a boot full of problems.
If you find a runner and don't need to deal with the issues I've mentioned that's awesome, but if you do... IT'S ONE THING AT A TIME. IT MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE HOURS DEPENDING ON WHAT IT NEEDS, BUT IT'S A COUPLE HOURS WELL SPENT AND A BARGAINING CHIP IN YOUR FAVOUR OVER PRICE.
Man your the best! I've been keeping my eye on everyone! You're the only guy thats not trying to make a dollar off of others. Unless they come to you for help much respect! My Brother!
That’s what it’s all about brotha! Getting 1,000 riders builds over the finish line and skipping the struggle in the process 🙏🏼🙏🏼
You are so right about the low risk welding areas and the high reward. If it breaks, learn from it, repair it.
Great video for guys getting into building bikes. Anything to help get people involved I support. The more the better. It only helps us all
Amen to that man, all about getting people involved and hopefully skipping some of the struggle!
A person who owns a fab shop tells you to by a welder yourself to save money. What a real one 🤙🏽 respect man
Thanks brotha. I’m here for people for the harder stuff, but many things can EASILY be done by the builder themselves with very little practice 🤘🏼
welding for 38 years still learning don't recommend welding a chopper with no welding experience
Damn, this guy is putting out great, practical content.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
awesome video, what a DREAM
Wow, what a help this is. I'm just now looking for a donor bike. Just seems overwhelming. Wish I had you as a neighbor! I'll definitely shoot you an email for the PDF. Thanks!
The link is in the description 👍🏼🙏🏼
Excellent !
Best info I’ve seen yet as i sit here with nothing but a dream of owning a custom shovelhead and wondering where to start.
Looking forward to watching up the rest of your channel. Thx!
Stoked to hear that it’s helping you brotha the dream is close at hand
Thank you so much Grease!! Super helpful man!
Glad to hear it brotha. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see in a future video 🤘🏼
Hey Grease, super thank you for dispelling every myth there is. Keep the videos coming. I like the way you explain, the rubber meets the road plain up front, clear explanations on how this stuff worked back in the day and still can today.
God bless, and thank you brother.
Really appreciate that Paul! Thanks for watching and I’m glad to hear it’s coming across as clear 🙏🏼
Always loved the look of a custom chopper. Years ago I dove in and built an XS650 that I hardtailed with a mig welder. Disclaimer..I'm not a welder but I took about a month teaching myself in my shop. It came out great in the end but there were struggles along the way. Now getting the itch again and looking to chop a Harley sportster. Just searched "chopper build" on here and so glad I came across your video...and links. As a former military guy, I appreciate how you break it down into simple steps. Thanks brother! Liked and subbed!
I really appreciate the kind words brotha! And I’m stoked to hear it’s popping up when someone searches chopper build 🤘🏼 I’m all about making it simple, that’s the number one theme of the channel.
If you ever need a specific video don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always looking for video topics
I just bought an XS650 hardtail for $2k, runs and drives, it’s in storage for now but my plans to rebuild it in the spring, it was cool to see your comment, good luck with your next build!
You too brotha 🤘🏼🙏🏼
Nice job sir .
It's good to see some 'real world' advice that mentions some real world hurdles ...
Thanks brotha!
Solid content, professionally and concisely delivered and directed to the average DIY bike enthusiast. Keep this up and your channel will grow by leaps and bounds. Thanks for taking the time to provide these very helpful videos. I'll be working on my own custom build very soon based on an Ultima Softail frame, EVO powered with a 5 speed trans. Can't wait!
Thank you brotha I really appreciate that. I try to make the videos as concise as possible. Sounds like an awesome build, evo is such a great engine for a chopper platform. If you’re on instagram shoot me a request so I can see the build come along
Awesome vid. Wish I had it before I started my build. Didn’t do the baseline tests and it does suck when you find out your engine trash and your electrical system is fried!!
Sorry to hear this brotha! It can happen to any of us, I had gotten my bike together last summer and blew a base gasket on my way to the Eazy times show which meant a whole top end job. The sooner you can find out the better
Awesome video, wi sh this sort of info was compiled before i chopped my xs650, but between your videos its pushing me towards the end, just the wiring to do (running a PMA and PAMCO style ignition) - any extra advice you would suggest for metric builds?
The XS actually has a lot of simplified wiring diagrams available online because it’s a very popular platform. Your PMA goes 3 yellow to the 3 yellow in the Reg so that part is easy. Let me know if you can’t get it sorted.
I ran a pma and Pamco on my 76 and it was very reliable, these days I believe Hugh makes a CDI which might be even simpler since pamcopete is retired.
Trickiest thing with metric bikes is wheel swaps. Conversion bearings are needed and it’s an extra step vs the American bikes. The rest is all the same!
Loving all these videos. I haven’t been able to find your email for some reason but I was hoping to get the PDF of the guide you mentioned.
Thanks man! Here’s the link just enter your email and I’ll send the guide straight to ya 👍🏼 greasesgarage.wixsite.com/greasesgarage
Just subscribed channel is great. I had forgotten about the podcast I used to listen to it a few years Im on the north shore but move up to Lakes Region in the spring I put an S&S top end on my 83 FXR a couple years ago so I’ve got stock top end i know not much to start with lol but I’ve got a 93 EVO I love so the EVO chop is appealing as well
Thanks for subscribing, hope the channel can help you get that evo chop over the finish line. A big part of the motivation to start this channel was that I couldn’t find ANY evo chop diy videos on the net. It’s all sporty and shovel stuff. Evo forever 🤘🏼🤘🏼
@@greasesgarage 👍🏻
Evo harleys are the best projects for choppers. Super cheap. I buy the engines at 500-1000 bucks all the time depending. Years ago i would buy stock engines brand new for a few hundred bucks because everyone had to have a crate s/s engines. Same thing happens now but with twin cams, so many people with a stage 2 or 3 twin cam that has no miles yet- replaced for no reason other than clout. My favorites to work with are the sporster, the 80 and 88. And I have several hot ones that stomp the new stock 117s still. Our cammed 117 tho pulls away hard at about 75 mph. Unlimited torque.
That’s awesome man! I should keep an eye out for another evo motor to do some more content with. Tear down walkthrough and all that good stuff
Hey man still loving the vids! You need to get loctite on sometime 😂 you guys go together like… grease and loctite? 😂 (I’m baked, take it easy.)
Great Video! Straight to the point.
How important are the "papers" (or "title" maybe) in America? I´m from Sweden, and here you must have old papers (pre ´75) if you wanna run w/o turnsignals and speedometer.
Do you guys have those kind of rules?
Some people here have newer bikes and just ignore the rules, but the police can really mess with ya if they are grumpy.
Great question, and thank you! In the US you do have titles but the rules regarding them are set by each state so it depends on where you live. Where I live you don’t need a title for vehicles older than 20 years which includes my 1994 (funny cause I always think of an evo as fairly new lol)
To get an inspection sticker (which you’re supposed to get yearly) you would need turn signals and all that. I just don’t get one. Many people do the same. You are taking your chances by not getting one but it’s a chance most chopper guys are willing to take. Police could mess ya up for it but I’ve passed many and never been stopped
@@greasesgarage awesome, thanks man!
Which hard tail would you recommend for a 1988 sporty chop?
I would join the fb group and ask this there because I’ve never owned a sporty but tons of people on there have
I want to build a chopper from scratch. I have a cheap Chinese 250 I'm willing to sacrifice in the effort. I've been a blacksmith for 20+ years and I can weld, so metal work doesn't intimidate me. However, there are any number of things I *don't* know: What size/gauge tubing do I use? Where do I get front fork tubes and what type do I need? Plus stuff I don't yet know that I don't know.
Do you know a resource I should look into to help me get started?
I know this may not be what you’d want to hear but for your first chopper build I highly recommend using a more common platform. There will still be tons of metal work to be done and you could build the frame yourself if you really wanted.
The difference is entirely in your question. There won’t be any resource I could point you to for building a chopper from a Chinese 250. You will be entirely on your own with a bike like that, but with a more common bike you’ll have tens of thousands of people to lean on for information.
@@greasesgarage -- That makes perfect sense. I'm just thinking of working with what I have instead of buying something new.
@Makermook it’s totally possible to work with what you have, I just would hate to see it discourage you from finishing the project or getting into choppers.
Does anybody know if I can chopper wire a 2005 carberated sportster? I want to use it for a donor if possible.
If it’s carbureted you absolutely can
Are you going to set up a Patreon or something? If love to help contribute
I’ve thought about it but the videos take so much time to produce that I’m struggling to find additional work I can provide in exchange for the memberships
For a build the battery coil and stator should just be replaced anyways. Why just cause why have this nice build with old electronics
You would think so, but you’d be amazed how often it doesn’t happen
You don't want to find out that you've only got 80psi... like Grease fond out 😂😂😂
We've all been there, bud.
And I was on the lucky end cause I at least got to ride it for that summer before it went south